Stem Cells (The Truth)Written by Stephen Ayers
Stem Cells (The Truth) By Stephen Ayers The much publicized stem cell research debate focusing on moral arguments is off target with goal of real progress in direction of human physiological benefits potential. No matter what side of this issue you come down on, practical considerations ultimately trump this emotionally clouded subject. Stem cells are a valuable renewing asset of human physiology and thus are deserving of our intense interest, but passionate disagreement about research and cloning issues miss mark of discovering just how simply we can use what we already know about stem cells and how we can benefit from that knowledge to improve health of everyone. Let us start with basics. Stem cells are produced in bone marrow of our bodies. They have remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types. Serving as a sort of repair system for body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has potential to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell or a red blood cell. Stem cells have ability to regenerate any other cell in body. Thus a stem cell can become a neuron, a liver cell, a brain cell, a fingernail cell, or any other cell that needs to be replaced or repaired. Because recent progress has been made in area of naturally increasing production of stem cells in human body, researchers mistakenly believe that injection or artificial means of increasing stem cell count in a person is pathway to curing diseases. This line of experimentation has already shown to be a direct route to disaster. Implanting stem cells in laboratory animals has created malignant tumors and has otherwise resulted in various counterproductive effects ranging from slow and costly to lethal. There is no substitute for body’s natural production of stem cells. This system has been developed over eons as opposed to recently generated arrogance and stupidity of our thought processes that think this marvel of human physiological engineering can be reproduced in a laboratory. Compare, if you will, costs of helping human body naturally increase its stem cell output with artificial method of harvesting and injecting stem cells into body. The cost of increasing your stem cell output naturally is about $50 to $100 dollars. This method of increasing cellular function through addition of certain nutrients to your diet will produce about 1 trillion stem cells in one week. No waiting for stem cells to activate. There is no risk of rejection because these stem cells are produced from your own bone marrow. There is no risk of these stem cells mutating into some hideous malignancy because these stem cells did not come from somewhere outside of your body. Contrast this with an injection of between 200 and a million stem cells from questionable sources for between $15,000 and $250,000. Plus fact that you will have to wait for your immune system to recover from transplant and hope that enough of transplanted stem cells survive attack of your own white blood cells to do any good. Let me think while I contemplate budgetary constraints and health risk factors. Nope, I think I’ll forgo freakish laboratory science experiments and choose healthy natural way to stem cell generation and recovery. Shall we rethink this thing called stem cell research? As I think about this subject, I come up with something like, “very interesting, but dumb!”
| | Power Wheelchair Folding RampsWritten by Kay Zetkin
Having problems with navigating your wheelchair on uneven surfaces and bumpy roads? Worry not, with Handi-Trak ® Wheel / Power chair folding ramps. This Trak System from Handi-Ramp is convenient to use because of its full range of lightweight, portable wheel and power chair tracks (or channel ramps). These are designed for easy use, manufactured from durable, extruded aluminum with a non-skid surface. It guarantees decades of useful service for your wheelchair. These ramps are available in different lengths that correspond with single and multiple-step barriers commonly encountered in everyday living. If you are interested on getting to know more about these handy ramps, we give you following specifications on each feature of these power wheelchair folding ramps: •Lightweight – Handi-Trak line offers lightest, most portable wheelchair track ramp products that are available on market nowadays. The new 30” Traks, out in market weigh only 4 ½ lbs. per track. The new 45” unit weighs only 6 ½ lbs. per track. However light they are though, both of these new systems can easily accommodate weights up to 600 lbs. •Easy-to-use – with a featured ¾ “ width of inner dimension, all Handi-Trak systems can accommodate widest wheelchair offset and camberage. In separating or catching on wheels, there are no difficult-to-maniputalte buttons or telescoping parts. The Traks wheelchair ramps have durable welded hinges, too. You simple unfold it to use and fold it to carry around or store. Easy-Carry Handles is an added feature, too, to reduce stress on fingers and wrists. 60” Traks and longer are hinged for additional convenience and portability.
|